"We educate more than 96,000 students and employ more than 20,000 workers at 24 locations across Pennsylvania. Through our commitment to sustainability, we have the scale and the reach to effect real change."

David Gray

Senior Vice President, Finance & Business

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The Sustainability Institute

What is Sustainability?

There are many definitions of sustainability. In fact, sustainability can mean different things to different people. For many years, the term “sustainability” equated in some people's minds with environmentalism--people working to protect the planet from pollution, litter, and chemicals while trying to recycle and reduce their overall footprint on the planet.

While the environment is an important facet in sustainability, it is not the only facet.

Penn State sees sustainability as starting with people. The goal of sustainability is to create a holistic approach to human health, economy, and happiness. A stable and clean environment is an important part of that vision; but so, too, are issues like ending poverty, creating dynamic community infrastructure, and guaranteeing gender equity. Only with all of these components can we guarantee a sustainable future for all people. The current definition that Penn State uses is:

the simultaneous pursuit of human health and happiness, environmental quality, and economic well-being for current and future generations.

As one can see, the definition is broad, meaning the scope of sustainability must be broad.

Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The seventeen SDGs serve as a guide to tackling the world’s most pressing challenges – including ending poverty and bringing economic prosperity, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and peace to all countries and people by 2030.

Addressing the SDGs will require transformations in how societies and economies function and how we interact with our planet. Education, research, innovation, and leadership will be essential in helping society address these challenges.

How do the SDGs and Penn State connect?

Much of Penn State’s Strategic Plan is aligned with the SDGs. The plan looks to attain these goals by carefully stewarding our natural resources, enhancing health and well-being of our students and communities, digital innovation, and integrating humanities- and arts-based perspectives.

Penn State desires to be a leader in creating transdisciplinary research-based solutions to these challenges.

With twenty-four campuses and traditional strengths in agriculture, engineering, healthcare, arts and humanities, Penn State is poised to implement the SDGs across the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Sustainability Institute’s Role

The employees in the Sustainability Institute support the sustainability movement at Penn State as consultants and coaches who guide and bolster sustainability efforts at the University. The Sustainability Institute has expertise in a number of areas, including student and staff engagement, curriculum development, student-community projects, operations, research, and more. However, for sustainability to grow, the charge of creating sustainability must be adopted by the units and colleges. This way, sustainability grows organically. As it grows it is nurtured by the Sustainability Institute.

Sustainability at Penn State: 2018-2019 Highlight Report

The Sustainability Institute curated a highlight report, Sustainability at Penn State, to capture efforts across the University that contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and peaceful future for Penn State, Pennsylvania and the planet. As you review the report, we encourage you to find ways to step into your own role as a sustaianability champion using your own unique set of skills, expertise and interests.

Work Plan

The Sustainability Institute’s Work Plan for 2018-2021 outlines the process by which the institute and, more broadly, the University will work to meet the needs of the present while enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.